in captivity in lower bengal. 149 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — As gazelles and antelopes are denizens of dry regions, 

 they should be accommodated in well-drained paddocks free from damp 

 and moisture ; to ensure this, if the soil is not sandy, a thick layer of 

 coarse sand, about a foot deep, may be laid, with a top dressing of earth, 

 to allow some grass to grow, which should be sparse at all times. 

 Antelopes are not particularly susceptible to the depressing influence of 

 the wet weather, but gazelles are ; and care should therefore be taken 

 to secure them perfect protection from rain and wet. The floor of the 

 shed should be built of masonry, and a layer of coarse sand should be 

 sprinkled over it, and in order that the animals may be kept indoors when 

 necessary, it should be enclosed with planks on three sides, with battens 

 or iron fencing in front. Light sheds may be built of teak wood posts 

 with plank roof, covered over with sheet iron or zinc. New arrivals 

 should not be exposed for exhibition. 



Food. — Gram, bran, Indian-corn, paddy, wheat, &c, hay, onions, 

 and salt. Gazelles are very fond of babul leaves {Acacia arabica) ; 

 green grass should be sparingly given to them during the wet weather. 



Breeding. — Gazelles, black bucks, and four-horned antelopes have 

 bred in this garden and reared young ones successfully. 



Transport, — The travelling cage for these animals should be made, 

 like that of any other ruminants, with planks on three sides and battens 

 on one, but wide enough to allow them to turn round ; the bubaline 

 antelope may be treated like an eland in this respect. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Inflammation of the lungs is a common complaint among gazelles 

 during the rains and winter ; they have also been known to suffer from, 

 and die of, diarrhoea. A doe of an Indian antelope was once suspected 

 to be suffering from consumption^ and on being treated with phosphate 

 of lime it completely got rid of its hoarse cough, and regained its 

 former plump and sleek condition. A hog deer once ripped open the 

 side of a four-horned antelope, causing a portion of the intestine to 

 protrude; although the case was considered hopeless, owing to the 

 difficulty of keeping the beast quiet, the protrusion was reduced and the 

 opening stitched with carbolised catgut ligature, and the wound dressed 

 antiseptically, and all possible precautions taken to keep the animal, 

 which was absolutely tame, quiet and in one posture. The antelope 

 recovered in about twenty days, and lived in perfect health, until some 

 two years afterwards it was killed one night by some pariah dogs. 

 The bubaline antelope dropped down suddenly dead one afternoon ; 

 as the animal was in perfect health a careful autopsy was held, and its 

 vertebral column was found to be fractured ; the cause of the accident 

 was never ascertained. 



Observations on their habits. 



Gazelles are lively, active, playful creatures, but extremely shy and 

 wary, unless rendered tame and familiar in captivity ; the females have 

 invariably been found to be gentle and inoffensive, but some males are 



